Articulating high-density less-lethal ballistic projectile

ABSTRACT

high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile incorporating multiple sections that articulate from a closed configuration, wherein the sections are aligned with the projectile&#39;s intended direction of travel, to an open configuration, wherein the sections are positioned perpendicular to the projectile&#39;s intended direction of travel, at or near the time of impact. The articulation of these sections increases the proportion of the projectile&#39;s total surface area that comes into contact with a target, thereby enabling the projectile to transfer its kinetic energy into said target without penetrating said target.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to less-lethal ballistic projectiles intended to transfer their kinetic energy to a target without penetrating said target. More specifically, the present invention relates to an articulating high-density projectile that alters its configuration at or near the time of impact in order to increase the proportion of the projectile's total surface area that comes into contact with a target, thus preventing penetration of the target by the projectile.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Organizations and individuals employing ballistic weapons, including firearms, must choose between loading those weapons with lethal or less-lethal projectiles. The majority of less-lethal projectiles currently available achieve their lower lethality by employing materials or combinations of materials that are less dense and more easily deformed than materials found in lethal projectiles.

While effective at decreasing the projectiles' lethality, the use of these low-density elastic materials results in projectiles that have little in the way of range or effective stopping power. This makes currently available less-lethal projectiles unsuitable for many applications. It would therefore be beneficial to those organization and individuals employing ballistic weapons to make available a less-lethal projectile that retains the long range and large kinetic energy of a lethal projectile while simultaneously remaining less-lethal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a high-density, non-penetrating, less-lethal ballistic projectile comprising two or more articulating sections that move from a closed configuration to an open configuration at or near the time of impact with a target.

The multiple articulating sections should be composed of a high-strength, high-density material or combination of materials. When in the closed configuration, the articulating sections should align with the projectile's intended direction of travel. When in the open configuration, the articulating sections should be positioned perpendicular to the projectile's intended direction of travel.

At or near the time of the projectile impacting a target, the aforementioned articulating sections move from the closed to the open configuration. This movement of the articulating sections serves to change the proportion of the projectile's total surface area that comes into contact with said target, thereby distributing the projectile's kinetic energy over a larger area than would otherwise be the case. This larger projectile/target interface area allows the projectile to transfer its considerable kinetic energy to the target while simultaneously preventing penetration of said target by said projectile.

The exterior surface of the projectile, while in the closed configuration, should be such that the surface is able interface with the rifling grooves (if present) in the bore of the weapon from which the projectile is being fired in order to impart a spin about the projectile's longitudinal axis, thus stabilizing its flight and increasing its effective range.

The projectile's effective surface area, and hence the projectile/target interface area, can be further increased by incorporating a thin, high-strength, flexible material into the projectile's design and construction. The aforementioned thin, high-strength, flexible material should be attached to the articulating sections in such a way that when the sections move from a closed to an open configuration at or near the time of impact with a target, said thin, high-strength, flexible material increases the total surface area of the projectile that comes into contact with said target. This increased total surface area at the time of impact with a target serves to increase the total amount of kinetic energy that can be transferred from the projectile to the target, while still preventing penetration of said target by said projectile.

The desired total kinetic energy of the present invention is achieved by balancing the muzzle velocity of the projectile with the mass of the projectile. By employing a high-strength, high-density material in its construction, the projectile's kinetic energy can be made to closely resemble that of a traditional lethal projectile. This combination of a large kinetic energy with low penetration translates into more effective stopping power than currently available less-lethal projectiles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a side view of a high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile of the present invention in a closed configuration illustrating four articulating sections, a connecting base, and a push rod;

FIG. 2 is a trimetric view of a high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile of the present invention in a closed configuration illustrating all elements shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile of the present invention in a closed configuration illustrating all elements shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded side view of a high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile of the present invention illustrating all elements shown in FIG. 1 in a non-functional arrangement;

FIG. 5 is an exploded trimetric view of a high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile of the present invention illustrating all elements shown in FIG. 1 in a non-functional arrangement;

FIG. 6 is an exploded top view of a high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile of the present invention illustrating all elements shown in FIG. 1 in a non-functional arrangement;

FIG. 7 is a side view of a high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile of the present invention in an open configuration illustrating four articulating sections, a connecting base, and a push rod;

FIG. 8 is a trimetric view of a high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile of the present invention in an open configuration illustrating all elements shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a top view of a high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile of the present invention in an open configuration illustrating all elements shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is an exploded trimetric view of a high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile of the present invention illustrating all elements shown in FIG. 7 in a non-functional arrangement;

FIG. 11 is a trimetric view of a high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile of the present invention in an open configuration illustrating a connecting base, a push rod, and four articulating sections whose construction incorporates multiple layers with the inner layer consisting of a high-strength, high-density structural material and the outer layer consisting of a soft, high-density rifle groove interface material;

FIG. 12 is a trimetric view of a high-density, less-lethal ballistic projectile of the present invention in an open configuration illustrating a connecting base, a push rod, four articulating sections, and a single piece of thin, high-strength, flexible material attached in 8 places to said 4 articulating sections.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a closed configuration of one possible design of an articulating high-density less-lethal non-penetrating ballistic projectile, which includes four articulating sections 13, a connecting base 14, and a push rod 15. The articulating sections articulate to the open configuration from a hinge point located at the connecting base 14 (as depicted in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9). The connecting base serves as the major structural and connective element of the projectile. The push rod 15 is seated in and extends through the connecting base 14 and serves as the leading end and first point of contact for the projectile. At the time of impact with a target, said target exerts a motive force on the push rod 15, which should be constructed of a lower density material than the articulating sections 13. The push rod 15 transmits the aforementioned motive force to the articulating sections 13, which articulate into an open configuration (as depicted in FIGS. 7, 8, and 9) wherein they are positioned perpendicular to the projectile's intended direction of travel.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 illustrate a non-functional arrangement of the closed configuration of the present invention wherein the articulating sections 13, connecting base 14, and push rod 15 are visible in isolation.

FIGS. 7, 8, and 9 illustrate an open configuration of the design illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 wherein the push rod 15 has already transmitted the motive force of an impact with a target into the articulating sections 13 and said articulating sections 13 have articulated into positions that are perpendicular to the projectile's intended direction of travel. FIG. 10 illustrates a non-functional arrangement of the open configuration of the present invention wherein the articulating sections 13, connecting base 14, and push rod 15 are visible in isolation.

Another possible design of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 11 where the articulating sections 13A are layered with an outer rifle groove interface layer 13B so constructed as to allow the projectile to interface with rifling grooves (if present) in the bore of the weapon from which the projectile is being fired in order to impart a spin about the projectile's longitudinal axis.

The design of the present invention featured in FIG. 12 utilizes the same articulating sections 13, connecting base 14, and push rod 15 as in FIG. 7 but with the addition of a thin flexible material 16 attached at 8 attachment points 17 to the articulating sections 13. The thin flexible material 16 serves to increase the surface area of the projectile/target interface thereby distributing the projectile's kinetic energy over as wide an area as possible in order to decrease the likelihood of said projectile penetrating said target.

Various changes and modifications may be made to the apparatus of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as recited in the appended claims and their legal equivalent. 

1. An articulating high-density less-lethal ballistic projectile comprising: Two or more articulating sections that move from a closed configuration, wherein the sections are aligned with the projectile's intended direction of travel, to an open configuration, wherein the sections are positioned perpendicular to the projectile's intended direction of travel, at or near the time of impact with a target;
 2. An articulating high-density less-lethal ballistic projectile, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: The exterior surface, as defined when the projectile is in a closed configuration, of the projectile is able to interface with rifling grooves, if present, in the bore of the weapon from which the projectile is being fired.
 3. An articulating high-density less-lethal ballistic projectile, as claimed in claim 1, wherein: High-strength flexible material is attached to the articulating sections in such a way that when the sections move from a closed to an open configuration at or near the time of impact with a target, said high-strength flexible material increases the total surface area of the projectile that comes into contact with said target. 